Discussions
START HERE: Community Rules
StoaCentral exists to practice Stoic philosophy as a way of life, not as a debate club or an outrage machine. These rules are here to protect clarity, reason, and mutual respect. Read them once. Return to them often. 1…
Why I Built Stoa Central
Why build yet another Stoic community, when perhaps hundreds already exist on Facebook, Reddit, etc.? Fair question. For me, it seems as I get older, the less I find myself willing to use these large social platforms. Th…
The Day is Over. You're Still Here.
No matter how productive or chaotic today was, one fact remains: you're still here. You survived. Some questions arise as I sit here and reflect: Did I treat my time as something finite? Did I notice anything beautifu…
Who is Your Favorite Ancient Stoic to Read?
I always alternate between Marcus Aurelius and Epictetus.
Memento Mori in Practice: Shift in Perspective After Work
Just wanted to share a glimpse of Memento Mori in practice and how it reminded me to change my perspective on the way home from work. To put things into perspective, the office I work at is on a super busy street in a to…
On Saying "I Feel Like"
I used to frequently say "I feel like" in place of "I think". I feel like they don't like me, I feel like it's not worth it. Examining the why made me question myself. Do I really think what I feel? Perhaps not. I sta…
Morning Meditation: What is one thing you can do well today?
I woke up at 6 AM today. I'll admit, I'm more excited for this project than I'd like to be; I've been starting up the dev version almost immediately upon waking. However, this morning, I paused and asked myself if I real…
Applying Stoicism: Fear of Spiders
On my way to work this morning, a spider came crawling out in front of my face on the windshield... I almost panicked immediately, but I stopped myself, gently reached over to the passenger seat to grab a bottle of water…
Is suffering necessary for wisdom?
Can someone become truly wise without enduring hardship? Or is pain an essential life teacher?
Keeping a Journal for Stoic Reflection
I started keeping a journal many years before I discovered Stoicism. Dream journals, idea journals, goals journals, etc. It just seemed like a brilliant idea. And it was. After discovering Stoicism, journaling indeed loo…
What is the hardest Stoic principle for you to live by?
Dichotomy of control? Amor fati? Memento mori? Negative visualization? Which concept sounds great in theory but consistently breaks down in real life for you?
Update: Just Published a Stoic Glossary
Hello, I'm excited to share the new glossary. The terms were taken from Wikipedia. I think it looks absolutely incredible; definitely beats Wikipedia. I plan on adding more terms, if the need arrives. The coolest thing…
How did you discover Stoicism?
I discovered Stoicism back in ~2012, when I got an interest in philosophy. I ordered a few random books on Amazon, and one of them happened to be the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius. I've been following Stoicism since. Ho…
How do you practice Stoicism when you’re exhausted, not motivated?
Most Stoic advice assumes a certain level of energy and clarity. But what about days when you’re mentally fried? When the idea of "practicing virtue" just feels like another obligation? On those days, what does Stoic pra…